bomb was stuck in her seatbelt. the first grader managed to crawl out, make his way to the road and flagged down some help. >> we rolled down a huge hill. it looked like it was a cliff. it felt like a big monster was going like that and throwing it and stepping on it. >> brave little guy. most kids of course would have panicked refused to leave their mother's side. aaron left for the right reason. had the presence of mind to grab his mom's purse. well done. >> well done. >> now to a story that redefines close call. a surfer narrowly escaping being bitten by a shark the his surfboard wasn't nearly so lucky. the bbc's duncan kennedy has the story. >> reporter: too close to maul, the bite that missed the surfer by a whisker. ahead of the intended main

course, steven king. >> probably the luckiest guy on two legs at the moment. >> reporter: the shark swam up awith a mouth full of surfboard leaving steven with a few minor injuries. >> just as i was basically taking off, jumping up. just a bang from the side. and i went cart wheeling through the air. and then there was thrashing beside me. >> he says he has never seen a shark here off northern new south wales in 22 years of surfing. unlike his board, he made it back to shore in one piece. >> relieved. very relieved. we are lucky steve is with us. >> reporter: there have been a high unusual fatal shark attacks around australia. there is always some danger. >> you have to be realistic. this is their territory. we are visitors. >> reporter: steven may be hoping to get a new board for christmas. duncan ken deshgs bbc news, stid knee. >> surfers love to surf.

i have friend that surf. you cannot scare them out of the water. >> the guy says despite all this i am going right back soon as i can. the guy said it best. we are just visitors. you're untheir turf. >> it's their water. >> couple salvation army coats have turned up more than dollar bills and coins in kansas city. a $10,000 bar of gold and $800 dropped in one of the red kettles. get this a $5,000 gold bar turned in a kettle not too far away. just last week, a loose diamond was found in a kettle in that state. good folks of missouri helping out the salvation army. >> people in the giving mood this holiday. >> much better than pennies, nickels people toss in. good for them. >> here is a look at your weather. up to 2 feet of mountain snow in utah, arizona. downpours from phoenix to dallas. up to des moines. freezing rain from denver to duluth.

>> 40s, kansas city, minneapolis and detroit. 50s in phoenix, sacramento. 34 in boise. well, first lady michelle obama has been front and center when it comes to the first family's holiday activities. yesterday wasn't any different. >> 'twas the night before christmas when all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. >> mrs. obama there, reading of course "the night before christmas" to the little ones at childrens hospital in washington. took htime to introduce them to the family dog, bo. >> bo featured in the white house decorations this year. really nothing quite like meeting the right thing. >> bo must be the most well-behaved dog. never seen him bark. on good behavior. >> for that breed of dog that is sort of surprising they're a little rambunctious. shear strong, sporting dogs,

working dogs. you know i know about dogs. >> very interested in you, dr. doo little. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this. >> ha-ha. ♪ angels we have heard on high sweetly singing ♪ [ male announcer ] how do you get your bounce?

i use a dryer bar to help repel pet hair off my sunday best. where are all their friends coming from? do you know? [ male announcer ] how do you get your bounce? [ woman ] less hair, more bunny. [ male announcer ] how do you get your bounce? my coat? solid gold.

my insides? pure platinum. [ female announcer ] a healthy outside starts inside. new iams simple & natural has chicken as its number one ingredient and zero fillers. it works inside for health you can see on the outside. [ dog ] i can't be a rockstar on the outside if i'm not one on the inside. [ female announcer ] new iams naturals. you'll like what's in them and love what's not. [ dog ] i am an iams dog. [ girls ] he's so cute! [ dog ] groupies! have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression,

including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. ♪ 'o christmas tree o 'o christmas tree how lovely are their branches ♪ ♪ 'o christmas tree

>> 'o christmas tree a very good choice especially to go along with today's boom, favorite story of the day. comes to us from flint, michigan. >> that's right, where the owner of a car body shop has carried on his christmas tradition by handing out trees to those in need. >> merry christmas! >> merry christmas! >> reporter: he has develop and grown his own christmas tradition. >> make my kids smile. make our day. i didn't know what i was going to do. >> this really helps people out, you know everybody is broke this tomb of year. an extra christmas present everybody can buy their kids, grandma or who ever. >> reporter: the trees went fast. the scotch pines were quickly loaded into waiting vehicles. >> i want a big christmas tree. >> you want a pink big christmas tree. >> how about we decorate it pink? >> reporter: laura acre heard about the give away from a

relative on facebook and rushed over with her two small children. >> get one. take it home. put it up. decorate it. wait for santa to come. >> reporter: what would you like for christmas? >> all of them -- those toys. >> reporter: it is not exactly santa's workshop, but helpers are pretty good when it comes to loading trees. >> you know, i remember as a child -- mom and dad, the christmas tree, the night we put the tree up at hope. how excited i was. and i know the feeling. and i'm just grateful that i can do that for these, for the kids and the families that, you know, need some help. >> that is a wonderful gesture. >> it is. he started doing this 11 years ago. first time he did it he gave away 25 trees. it has grown and grown. >> fresh trees can be expensive. i don't know, i don't know how much. very expensive. >> they're not cheap. there you are. >> $175. >> you are out there cutting it down yourself the you die .

you do it all. >> fun for the gadget lovers on your shopping list.

♪ i should be playing in the winter snow i will be under the mistle toe ♪ >> welcome back, everybody. before you know it, the holidays will be here. why not get started early and get all the shopping out of the way. joining me with tech toys at the top of every kid's wish list this season, abc news technology contributor andrea smith. welcome back. good to have you this morning. cool gadgets. video games our topping today? >> yeah, yeah, very cool. >> a 6-year-old could tell us

ome of this stuff? >> that's the problem. we have games for 6-year-olds, when microsoft came out with connect sensor for the x-box 360 it opened up opportunities for young kids to play with the 360. now we have kinectimals game. as most parents know you can't get through the mall without the build-a-bear workshop. now the kids can get their bear personalized. do whatever they want. they take the bar code on the bear, scan it into the kinect, kinect sensor and the bear becomes a playable character in the video game. >> it gives kids a chance to exercise. get off the couch, shake, move around. >> get off the couch, the kinect, you are the controller. your whole body. which is what is great about this. sesame street once upon a monster. you are not sitting there watching, you are moving.

you are playing catch with grover. you are flapping your wings and pretending to fly. and you are moving. the great thing about this game is it really encourages two kids to play together. they understand kids' attention spans are small. they can come in and out of the game, without having to finish a level. huge thing for kids. >> kids love grover and the gang. which is nice. this is my favorite? >> whole new category of gaming, app-mates, by disney. app-mates. many parents are leery about hand tharg aing their ipad to t kids. whether or not i would let somebody use a car on my ipad. >> individual call. >> this is a car based on "cars 2" and has a special sensor underneath. it can be read by the game. turns your ipad into a virtual playmat. >> oh, wow. >> it picks it up. knows what car the i am not driving very well.

it knows what car is driving. >> andrea had a few drinks. no, i am joking. >> lets your car be a back seat driver. >> long way from the hot wheels i used to play with. amazing. wow. sensor on the bottom of the car. not scratching your ipad. right here on the bottom. very, very safe tie have to say. >> very cool. >> mother approved. now the other thing i have to tell you about the ipad. >> this i love too. >> the ipad. i have a hard time playing. because i lose my, i can't -- i can't dupe the joy stick because i lose my spot. >> different feel without the joy stick. it really is. >> you don't have the tactile feel. lose your sweet spot. special joy stick. and two suction cups. put it over the joy stick on your ipad. now you can go left and right here without thinking where you are. a it feels more like a joy stick. >> move, left, right, without thinking about it. use one hand to shoot and

concentrate. the other one you are not worried about it. >> that is such a great idea. s. >> space invaders. everybody loves it. >> space invaders. >> these guys over here? >> skylanders. another unique game. yes you have the video game. a popular game. the video game comes with characters from the game. it comes with this portal of power from the game. >> nice. >> when you put the character on the portal of power, that character enters the video game. i mean this whole new world. >> same principals over there. you are building something that enters the game. yeah. >> uh-huh. now you can take this to your friend any house. put your character they have their character. now these two are in the game together. >> the world has come a long way since weep we were kids. joy stick for the ipad. the car sensor, real life, video game. >> whole new virtual world. >> good list for the holidays. thank you as wall is a, andrea, appreciate that.

detailed information on the products she showed us, check out fan page at wnnfans.com. thanks again. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this. the mighty turducken.

nature's majestic beast. [ both laugh ] ♪ ♪

welcome back, everybody. time for your morning papers here. the talk in the nfl these days beside the in pending playoffs, tim tebow, the phenom from the broncos. tebowing is now officially a word. global language monitor website, acknowledging the word, tebowing, the act of taking to the knee in prayer during athletic contests and all that. there is comparing the use of this word to obamamania in 2008, the rate of adoption here. he got the word going on october 23rd when he famously took a knee after the broncos had a big

dramatic comeback victory against miami. ot. and the website now, tebowing.com. part of the american lexicon, tebowing. i got in on the act down in new orleans. with the saints. we were, posing, i was there for a buddy's wedding. it is taking off. everybody is tebowing. >> he's not the only one to have done that in the game though. >> he made the most famous. >> i have seen it before. a wonderful gesture. >> this is the thing. we're tebowing. you go, tim. >> this i'm not into, in the huffington post, a pink pony strip club will be turned into a church. that's just me. in west virginia. i don't like it. there is a west virginia minister. plans to turn the house of sin into a house of worship. remember this is, a place you may remember, 2003, powerball lottery winner was drugged, robbed of $500,000 in cash. vacant since it lost its liquor

license. this minister is going to need $795,000 to turn the house of sin into a place of worship. i don't like that. >> it's going to become a church. you support that. >> church, separate. >> dollar to the girls, dollar in the plate. same principle. >> separate. call me a prude. >> you are a little prudish this week. i have learned some insight into sunny. >> charlotte, north carolina, the south park mall, some woman went in and stole $3,000 worth of bras, 59 fur bras. i was confused. how much they were and the fur bra? >> stealing that. a nice addition to the outfit. wear the bra, have an open shirt. like a pair of fur boots. >> then you look like a girl with a hairy chest. >> it would be different. >> the fur bra. >> could be cute. same-sex penguins, the penguin

pair, well, a bromance. they're not together. buddy and

this morning on "world news now" -- courtroom drama. the young men accusing former penn state coach jerry sandusky of sexual abuse are set to meet him today face to face. >> prosecutors are ready to question every one of them in front of a pennsylvania judge. it's tuesday, december 13th. good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin. as many as 10 accusers may testify in the jerry sandusky hearing. taking place in a tiny pennsylvania town today. it is unclear if sandusky himself will take the stand. and there are new questions about what a key witness, mike

mcqueary will say about what he saw and heard. >> extraordinary today he will see up to ten accusers in court face to face. some of them seen for the first time. not clear who the accusers are. he will see them for the first time. an extraordinary moment uncourt today. >> people are guessing he will testify. that is not going to happen >> you don't think he will take the stand? >> no. >> based on preachous interviews. >> based on that. defendants don't testify at preliminary hearings. we will hear the stories of so many of the young men today. >> unbelievable story. on this tuesday morning, an awkward situation for mitt romney. during an old-fashioned campaign stop, at a diner, he sat down with a vietnam vet. instead of talking about military background. romney was put on the spot about another hot button issue, same sex marriage. >> later this thahalf-hour, wit many holiday shoppers watching their wallets. we will show you our favorite presents that cost $25 or less. >> cheap gifts! that's what i'm talking about.

what i look to hear. before all that, his lawyer says jerry sandusky is actually looking forward to today's hearing. >> that's hard to imagine since the disgraced former coach will face at least eight young men who claim he sexually attacked them. wabc's m.j. burkett is in pennsylvania. good morning. >> reporter: rob, sunny, under pennsylvania state law the prosecution is required to present key evidence before the trial. in the case against jerry sandusky that means calling the alleged victims who will take the witness stand here one by one, and face jerry sandusky for the first time. in belfont, pennsylvania outside the tiny courthouse where jerry sandusky will face his accusers, residents were still struggling to come to grips with what has happened here. >> the reputation of people from the whole area is affected by this kind of action. so it makes everyone unhappy. >> reporter: prosecutors could call most if not all of the alleged victims. and watching from the defense

table, the man they accuse of unspeakable crimes. ten boys, now young men, have accused sandusky of a variety of sexual offenses including rape. one claims he was victimized repeatedly, when he was 12 years old. >> it will be more of an adversarial process for him. i know it will be uncomfortable. but he is ready to go forward. >> reporter: sandusky admits having contact with young boys, but he told "the new york times" it was never improper. >> if i say no, i'm not attracted to boys, that's not the truth because i'm attracted to young people, boys, girls. >> reporter: a local newspaper here is reporting that assistant coach, mike mcqueary confided in a family friend that he never actually saw sandusky violating a young boy in the team showers. only that the encounter seemed suspicious. >> if mcqueary did give a different version or actually only part of the version, more

like what it sound, that he went in, he gave, a little bit of what happened, but not the entire truth. then it is significant. and it goes to his credibility before the jury. >> reporter: clearly he is not the only witness, but he is important to this case because he is an independent witness. testimony is expected to get underway at 8:30 eastern time. rob, sunny. >> very interesting insight into-- the pedophilia, sense of wanting to relive some of these encounters. >> absolutely. something i practiced in, something i studied with the fbi. bottom line, a lot of time pedophiles and sociopaths look forward to their day in court. you would think they wouldn't. they like to relive the crimes. they look to relive. this is a time, if these allegations are true, jerry sandusky gets to see all of these young men, over again. all unone place. so, some psychologists will tell you that they do look forward to their day in court. >> unbelievable. it will be a high drama playing out in a small pennsylvania down this morning for sure.

switching gears, police clacshe with protestors on the west coast they tried to shut down ports in oakland, portland, and seattle. demonstrators at port of seattle were met with officers, pepper spray, stun grenades and handcuffs. they managed to disrupt traffic before they were dispersed. and a similar scene in texas where 100 protestors linked arms at port of houston. the occupy demonstration forced cars and trucks to stop before police arrested 20 folks there. the action at all ports was to shut down wall street on the waterfront. organizers say they're sending a message that their movement is not over. >> to politics now with exactly three weeks to go before republican voters in iowa have their say. and the battle between mitt romney and newt gingrich is getting even more personal. the two rivals have accused each other of being greedy and they both challenged the other to return the millions they made in the private sector. >> guess they won't do that.

meanwhile romney found himself caught of in one of the unscripted and pretty awkward moments on the campaign trail that his handlers have tried to avoid. it all unfolded at a new hampshire diner when romney asked a man varying a vietnam vets' hat a military service. but he wanted to talk instead about whether romney supports a new hampshire law that allowed him to marry his long time partner. >> i support the repeal of the new hampshire law. i believe marriage is between a man and a woman. that's my view. >> you told me that -- >> he told romney that married gays in the military should be given the exact same benefits as married straight couples. >> president obama says it will be an historic moment later this month when the war in iraq ends after nearly nine years. the president also said that troops will be leaving iraq, quote, with honor and with their heads held high. president obama made the comments at a news conference with the iraqi prime minister, earlier this place aid wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier

to remember the thousand killed in iraq. >> a watershed moment. in other news, lowes is standing by its decision to pull its ad from a tv show about an american muslim family. the home improvement chain, criticized for sponsoring the show. now there are new complaints about it dropping the sponsorship. >> reporter: american muslims say this show is the first time they have seen their faith shown in such a positive light, and on primeti primetime. viewers get an inside look at the everyday existence of five michigan families. in this scene the women go shopping for headresses which one stopped wearing after 9/11 but is taking it up again. >> wearing the headdress is so much more than what you see. because the headdress is not something you take lightly. >> reporter: high school football on friday nights. while this 25-year-old expectant mother dresses differently she sound like any other american wife, chiding her husband for putting things off. >> we have to be ready?

what if the baby comes tomorrow? there is so much stuff i have to do. >> reporter: some groups say the show is propaganda, hiding an agenda. a conservative florida family association started a campaign against the show and advertisers, pushing lowes to pull its ads from the show. >> this program creates an image that is harmful, educationwise to, the belief structure and memories of millions of americans who will, look at this and say all muslims are like that when it is not accurate. >> reporter: so a woman featured in the series, told us that the conservative groups should open their minds. >> it's making change and having people change their perceptions. >> reporter: at lowes headquarte headquarters, a vice president said they could care less about the content of the show. it wasdecision. >> we knew it was a controversial program. we wanted to reach consumers, a

controversial program is not a good place to do that. >> reporter: the cable program that airs the show will weather the storm. controversy because a show would have the audacity to portray muslim-americans as normal human beings. the fact that they're not all terrorists is shocking. >> it's extraordinary, extraordinary they would pull their ads. lowes generates $50 billion in revenue. >> not going to hurt them. >> why do that? why give into that kind of pressure? to a seems unbelievable they would cause a stink. the show is about changing the perception. >> giving insight. >> huge accident in los angeles is causing a travel nightmare this morning. more than a dozen big rigs collided inside a tunnel on southbound lanes of interstate 5. the crash did not cause a fire. hazmat teams were dispatched as precaution. as you can imagine traffic is backed up for smiles. >> parts of sunny california are

blanketed in white this morning after getting slammed by a powerful storm. that system is expected to dump more than a foot of snow in the southern california mountains before it tapers off this morning. roads were so slick in fact, chains were required on some mountain passes. and the los angeles area is getting pounded by drenching rain. they are having no fun in california today. >> no. wow. let's take a look at the rest of the tuesday forecast. up to two feet of snow in the southern rockies. rain, fine, to albuquerque. also wet around dallas, oklahoma city, omaha, des moines. wintry mix, denver to sioux falls and duluth. foggy in the northwest. >> 30s, seattle to colorado springs. upper 50s in phoenix. 40 in the twin cities. 45, chicago. 48, new york. nice 80 in miami. >> ah, miami. call this one like father, like son. meet 6-year-old michael hague of holland, michigan. pretty fast at what is called sport stacking. >> unbelievable.

michael has been duke it since he was 2 years old. holds eight world records. the guy behind the camera, michael's dad. got michael into stacking in the first place. >> look at that. michael's father holds a stacking world record for hissage group. the apple, not stacking far from the tree. >> i mean. >> look at that. >> the practice. must take a lot of practice to do that. >> he needs a job as a dealer in vegas. i like that kid's style. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this. ♪ ♪ we know a place where tossing and turning

have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day,

have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

>> saint louis, seattle what was a truly bad "monday night" football game. see hawks, running back lynch, scored a td for the ninth straight game. this game was over well before that. seattle keeps its rather slim playoff hopes alive. they beat the hapless rams, 30-13. >> one of the major story lines from the nfl right now what denver broncos' quarterback tim tebow has been up to lately.

in one word, winning. >> uh-huh. didn't look like that was going to the case sunday against the bears. that is until it was tebow time. abc's dan harris tries to explain it all. >> reporter: by any earthly yardstick, tim tebow is at best a mediocre nfl quarterback. in fact he has one of the worst passing records in the league. he got sacked. >> tebow in trouble. >> reporter: his throws were wobbly. >> tebow with a pass. >> reporter: going to nobody or worse to the wrong team. >> it is picked off! >> reporter: yet in the final minutes. tebow and the denver broncos pulled off a come from behind victory, their sixth in a row. even nonbelievers are calling miraculous. >> first and foremost i would look to than mik my savior, jes christ. if you believe, unbelievable things can be possible. >> reporter: while tebow's

pastor says god is the reason for this winning streak. tebow has never claimed that. and any way it is tough to prove. however scientists say tebow's secret may be something else. look at this play, after the receiver, thomas, missed a pass. tebow gave him some encouraging words. and look at his press conference where he gives credit to everybody else. >> i think my teammates made me look better than i am. research shows that most compass passionate people, like tebow are more effective at motivating others more than say the boss that yells. >> highly cop lly cooperative, empathetic, individuals their teams perform better. >> reporter: tebow's style contains lessons for all of us. remember the receiver he encouraged in the fourth quarter he scored a touchdown that turned the game around. >> tebow takes off throws to outside. touchdown! >> reporter: dan harris, abc

news. >> maybe there is lessons in that. >> i believe that. if you have the faith, you know, that there is something bigger than yourself. >> could be lessons there for us to learn as anchors. we need to thank the people and encourage the people that make us look good every day. >> we don't dupe this by ourselves. >> the lighting folks. we have the guys running the cameras. making us look good. >> okay. >> cameras back and fort. >> audio people. >> thank you, mr. know dis-it-a. >> we have our stage manager. always looking us look good. "world news now" in the house. takes a team. takes a village in the middle of the night, baby. that's what we do. tebowing. in the zone, in the zone, bro. >> getting the hollywood celebrity treatment, will thaom could use tlc and confidence get some for free. you are watching "world news

makeovers can be pretty cool but expensive. >> that wasn't a concern thanks to a famous hollywood stylist. this star treatment was free. >> reporter: most of the women at the daybreak shelter can't remember the last time anyone did their hair or makeup. >> it feels really wonderful. it's look i love primping anyways. so playing house and dressing me up. oh, yeah. >> reporter: for some it is a first. >> i'm pretty plain. i don't wear all that stuff. but i am kind of want to see what it will look like. i'm excited though. >> reporter: when beverly hills stylist to the stars, jose eber arrived with their team of experts to do make-overs they were stunned. >> i was going to watch someone getting their hair done. i didn't thing it was going to be me. >> you are ready for a change? >> yes. >> look at this incredible hair. >> reporter: she was ready to part with her long locks.

>> we are hearing giving all the ladies confidence. because once they have confidence, they take life a little bit differently. >> reporter: day break offers emergency services and long term housing to women with mental illness. >> we provide life skills, financial, basically financial planning and help these women get -- get to the next stage in their self-reliance and independence. >> reporter: after they get their hair and makeup duvenone. the women get decked out in outfits for a photo shoot. glamour takes before and after photos showcasing the remarkable transformations. they're each given a framed photo of their glamorous look. >> oh, my god. oh, my god. oh, my god. oh, my god. >> reporter: she will probably never forget this day. this is amy powell, reporting for abc news.

>> i would look to mennin tiomee eber the man behind the farrah. >> us before the show. trying to give her a jerry-curl. let me tell you about a very important phone call i made.

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you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare, call this toll-free number now. ♪ 'o christmas tree ♪ 'o chris tree ♪ 'o christmas tree >> i like that song. i love the holidays. finally this half-hour, our favorite gifts for under $25. some of our examples this morning work with your high tech stuff. >> that's right. other things are just kind of cool. here is abc's becky worley with the list. >> reporter: holiday gifts should be fun. thoughtful and not too expensive. these are my top picks for gifts. most of them under $25. first, gloves you don't have to talk off when you want to use the phone.

the prices on these have come way down. i found this pair for just $20. another high tell that has dropped way down in price, wireless keyboard you can use with an ipad. this one from hp. just $25. it is a great way to pile on the accessories for some one getting an ipad from santa. if you want something that is also a cover and a stand, this one from brookestone is just $79. the cocoon, an ingenious way to keep your tech gear organized. now the aerolatte froths your milk for $17. better than the froth i get from my fancy espresso machine. it really works. also, nice. cool headphones. who couldn't use a new pair? my favs this year from urban ears. they snap together like legos. you can wear them around your neck or wind them up and snap them shut for storage.

i am all about fun at christmas. let's start with the little babies, star trek feeder anyone. kids of almost any age will love the big power hand. oh, santa. and one more fun item i couldn't resi resist -- fake gift boxes. you pack a real gift in there maybe something nice. but the recipient unwraps it and thinks you have given them a family snuggie or in-shower coffee machine. good luck with your holiday shopping. becky worley, abc news, oakland, california. >> cool list, becky. >> i was writing things down. good gifts. the iphone gloves. >> the glove. very nice. see. >> thank you. thank you, rob. >> got them all yesterday trying to hook you up. >> did you finish your shopping. >> few more things. i want aero-latte, gloves. and the power hand.

>> anything else i can get you, baby? >> that's it for now. >> that's it.

this morning on "world news now" -- damage control. mitt romney tries to explain his $10,000 political bet while facing sharp criticisms. >> front-runner newt gingrich is not holding back when it comes to romney and his money. it's tuesday, december 13th. good morning. i'm sunny hostin. >> and i'm rob nelson. mitt romney's republican rivals are quick to point out $10,000 is more than 10% of the average american's net worth and romney's net worth is $250 million.

despite all that, is all this talk about politics and money really a valid point when most candidates running for president are always wealthy? >> i think so because of the gaffe. i mean, he just did seem out of touch. a $10,000 bet on national television? during a debate? >> it was a little hyperbole people leached on to a little too much. ifaulting him for that. >> also from wall street to the sea ports, the occupy protestors take aim at america's shipping hubs. blocking access. will they be able to stop packages from getting to your house for christmas while police take action, we'll explain why the demonstration has moved here. i don't think that's going to garner any goodwill. >> sit well with the public. the movement will continue. >> yes, it has. >> disrupt life during the holidays. later, oprah winfrey and sean penn visit it haiti getting plenty of attention. but not everyone was allowed to take pictures of the famous duo. that story coming up in "the skinny." >> but first, mitt romney and newt gingrich are stepping up their personal attacks on each other.

today accusing each other of being greedy. >> the latest battle started with the $10,000 bet, romney offered over the weekend during the abc debate. and now, abc's karen travers is joining us from washington with more on this. good morning to you, karen. >> good morning, rob. good morning, sunny. what happens in iowa doesn't just stay in iowa. that is one bet that mitt romney wishes he could certainly take back. >> reporter: mitt romney had the chance to deliver a knockout punch to stop newt gingrich's momentum. instead he delivered a punch line. >> $10,000? $10,000 bet? >> reporter: that hefty bet had iowa voters buzzing, $10,000 is more than two months income for the average iowa family. romney tried to do damage control. >> it is a common thing to say. i'll bet you $1 million. >> reporter: romney went on attack, saying gingrich should return the $1.5 million he made working for freddie mac. gingrich fired right back.

>> of if governor romney would look to give back all the money he earned from bankrupting companies and laying off employees, over the years, i would be glad to listen to him. i will bet you $10, not $10,000 he won't take the offer. >> reporter: gingrich is the clear front-runner and leads in three of the first four primary caucus states and gaining in the fourth, new hampshire. mitt romney is now the underdog. top republicans say he is still the favorite to win the republican nomination. and they say that is because gingrich is some times his own worst enemy. rob, sunny? >> thank you, karen. >> gloves are off. it is getting personal out there. >> it is, romney sat down with the vietnam vet. thought he would be talking about the military and he talks about gay marriage. >> the vet wanted to talk about same sex marriage rights. romney said he is pro-gay rights but not in favor of gay marriage another one of those unscripted awkward moments with the vet you are seeing on your screen. not the moment the romney team was hoping for.

>> arguably it is contradictory. >> how are you pro-gay rights but don't support gay marriage? it doesn't make any sense. the vet let him know that bluntly. not the moment the team wanted. >> no. jerry sandusky's lawyer says the former penn state coach is looking forward to today's court hearing where he will face his accusers. the attorney left open the question of whether he will call sandusky to the stand. the former graduate assistant who claims he witnessed one of the attacks is likely to testify. prosecutors may call joe paterno as well. the hearing is to determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial. a texas middle school student is now clinging to life this morning after being shot while trying out for the basketball team. police in the small town of edinburg say hunters may be to blame for wounding the victim as well as another boy. investigators say the farmland surrounding the school is full of deer hunters this time of year. the occupy movement its not going away any time soon. it is now zeroing in on some of the nation's busiest ports. >> the latest tactic, police at port of seattle used pepper

spray and stun grenades on protestors blocking a main terminal there. abc's duchlt arte garldino has the the latest on the movement. good morning to you, duarte. >> reporter: good morning. the movement claims it is targeting the rich. some unions on the west coast claim this time the occupy wall street demonstrators may be hurting the middle-class. the occupy movement in the western parts of the country are using a carefully crafted approach that could be even more economically painful than demonstrations in new york. from anchorage to san diego, west coast protestors are trying to shut down key shipping ports through which billions of dollars in goods enter the u.s. each year. the occupy demonstrators believe if they can disrupt the flow of goods at the nation's busiest docks they can cut into corporate profits. >> all day! all week! >> occupy wall street! >> reporter: in long beach,

police faced off with marchers at its port. oakland's port is connected to 73,000 jobs. >> we have activated the port's emergency operating center and integrated our work with city's emergency operations center. >> reporter: the occupy protestors say they support dock workers, but their presence is not being welcomed by the union or the government. >> we urge the demonstrators who are coming to the port to respect the rights of the 99% who are trying to work today. and to keep their protest peaceful. >> reporter: demonstrators are targeting two companies in particular, port operator, s.s. marine and grain exporter, egt. wall street powerhouse, goldman sachs owns a stake in ssa marine. >> thank you. police are looking into a new weapon dealing with all the protestors, called sonic blasters or long-range acoustic devices. what they do emit beams of sound at the crowd. to stop the crowd in their tracks. >> never heard of anything like that. pepper spray, yes. mace. but this? >> i will take a beam of sound over the pepper spray.

>> the beam of sound that would be, that's got to be painful. >> as opposed to the blinding, watery eye, can't breathe. >> the beam of sound affects a group of people. can't get away from it. >> all about crowd control. >> that's right. >> all right, shifting gears. overseas now, where asian stocks are lower this morning on fears about the european economic crisis. investors are jittery over the plan by the european union to bind their economies closer together to fix the widespread debt crisis. japan and hong kong markets were both down. >> if you ordered something on line lately you were not alone. if you plan on mailing something this week you will have plenty of company. all that buying and shipping is good news in this bad economy. abc's brianna goldendrega has more. >> reporter: 'tis the season to shop. consumers rushed to get their last-minute, online orders in. hoping to beat retailers' deadlines which guarantee free

shipping and pre-christmas delivery. americans have spent $25 billion on line so far this year. and an astounding 15% more than last year. brick-and-mortar retailers are booming too. record black friday weekend shopping and expectations that the entire season will see spending grow at the fastest pace since before the great recession. >> it is really a sign of a nation of procrastinators as well isn't it? >> if you look at the ten days leading up to christmas, about 40% of the overall holiday season gets purchased then. so people look to really push it to the end when they know they can get great deals. >> reporter: with more shopping, there is a ton more shipping. fed-ex says it will see 17 million packages rushing through its system. so for all of us die-hard procrastinators, we did research of our own and found out most online retailers this friday, december 16 is the last day where you can get free shipping guaranteed to arrive before the christmas weekend. >> let me get this straight.

we have black thursday, black friday, cyber monday, and now green monday. am i miss anything? missing purple thursday or something? >> i didn't miss anything. i shopped on every day. i helped everyone. >> hard to keep track. hey, good for business right? keep the packages coming. the first lady can now add world record holder to her many accomplishments. her october bid to break the record for the most people doing jumping jacks, in a 24-hour period succeeded. mrs. obama says 300,265 around the world took part. shattering the old record. that puts all of her, let's move campaign to fight childhood obesity. >> which is great. people need to understand you need how to be as fit as possible. >> burn the calories. shake it. i'm tired. >> your tuesday forecast. heavy mountain snow in the four corners of the southwest. heavy showers in southern california. all day rain, phoenix, albuquerque.

from dallas to des moines. sleet from denver to duluth. >> mostly 40s in the midsection. and northeast. 52, baltimore, 61, atlanta. 68, new orleans. sacramento climbs to 54. salt lake city, 36. ♪ >> i love this story. here is a story that proves it is never too late to follow your dream. 98-year-old james henry has written his first book, a collection of stories. what makes it remarkable. he was illiterate until he was 92. >> he dropped out of school in the third grade so he could work. he didn't go back to his studies until eight decades later. even though he has written an entire book, he is most proud of the first thing he ever wrote, that was simply a letter to his nephew. >> see, all about that faith. and that perseverance and acknowledging something bigger than yourself. >> never too late. never too late. >> i like to see stuff look that. more "world news now" after the break. ♪ ♪ this is on the pages is the answer to a never-ending story ♪

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♪ dancing in the moonlight >> we've got an inspirational story here about a woman who fought a lifelong battle with obesity. she was so heavy she missed out on lots of things that we just take for granted. >> then she decided to make a big change. she actually lost half of her body weight. abc's lara spencer has her story. >> reporter: natalie straun struggled with her weight since he she was a little girl. >> i didn't have any friends.

but i had food so i ate. i made nachos and i would take half a can to a whole can of refried beans, just, whole bag of chips, whole bag of, pound bag of cheese, and smother it in ranch dressing. that would be my breakfast. >> reporter: by 6th grade, natalie weighed 335 pounds. as the weight increased. so would the taunts of her school mates. >> i would here tub of lard, i would be mooed at. that's what hurt the most. being mooed at walking down the hallway. i would be called shamu. if i was swimming at the local pool in the summertime. i was bullied so bad, i start ed being home schooled. and i just -- when i turned 16, dropped out and decided to get my g.e.d. >> reporter: by 17, natalie weighed 560 pounds and had difficulty walking. she couldn't get up off the floor or learn to drive a car because she couldn't fit behind the wheel. >> i missed prom. i missed homecoming. i missed going to football

games. >> reporter: finally she decided she missed out on enough. determined to change her life she joined a weight loss program. natalie set small five-pound goals and chronicled her progress in a video diary. >> i have lost 50 pounds in 12 weeks. i have lost 76.4 pounds in 23 weeks. i have lost 100 pounds. over the next three years, she dropped a whopping 282 pounds. and says, she's not done yet. >> i have learned if you want something bad enough, you will get it. >> she is an attractive girl. she is an attractive girl. obvious. such a great spirit on top of it. >> we saw the last piece. it is never too late to change your life, for the better, whether it's your illiterate, overweight. i want to change it. you move on. >> i thought she had the surgery. did it on the weight loss program. >> the hard way.

the hard way. >> fascinating. >> coming up next why the police got involved with oprah winfrey and sean penn's visit to haiti. >> and a dispute involving j-lo, her squeeze, and marc

♪ skinny ♪ so skinny >> well, it is time for "the skinny." and, one of our first stories is going to be about oprah. >> oprah. >> visiting haiti under pretty tight security. she went to visit sean penn who we know has been in haiti doing wonderful work quite some time. helped create an aid group that provides support to an encampment after the 2010 earthquake. sort of part of what she will be doing now. take a listen to this. >> this is a part of my next chapter going around the world, seeing interesting, fascinating and in this case a very profound example of what can be done to make a difference in the world. that's why i am here. >> i think is her next chapter of sort of her life's work which is wonderful. haiti is a place that need it.

my husband's father is from haiti. he right after the earthquake, my husband did, went to the haiti to operate on people. he said it was a terrible, staggering situation and still a problem now two years later. >> think about the story, too, a journalist who was detained. thought there was someone, snapping a photo. later they didn't know that it was an actual journalist, thought paparazzi or something like that. security as you can imagine was very, very tight. >> because it's oprah. >> i read something interesting, speak of oprah, the network may start targeting african viewers now because of the success of one of the reality shows, "sweetie pie" so maybe the focus of o.w.n. because of low ratings may switch a little bit. moving on very quickly -- marc anthony and j-lo. marc told j, i don't want your new man, backup dancer dude, driving our kids. >> he is like 15! how old is he? >> he is 24.

he has been arrested twice for speeding and driving on a suspended license. also has three warrants issued for his arrest for failure to appear at court related, hearings related to those arrests. they haven't filed for divorce yet. marc says he will go to court to stop her boy friend from driving the kids. thinks he is a threat. because it has gotten so tense. they're were supposed to do a reality show. marc is pulling back. >> i'm with him on that. i'm with him on that. you know, just too much. >> good call, marc. fight that fight. >> she has poor judgment in love. i love j-lo. she is puerto rican. next, 46-year-old, 46-year-old, elizabeth hurley says she is looking better than ever, wears a bikini, she has her own swimwear line. what i loved about the new interview. she doesn't believe aging has anything to do with looking less good. she proves her point by shedding her clothes for this. let me tell you, the 40s can look good. >> she makes it look good. >> i am in my 40s. i feel wonderful. >> i don't know what hugh grant was thinking. i don't see a problem with that. >> the 40s make you look better, better, better. >> age is a state of mind. look as good as you want.

as long as you want. >> nothing but a number. >> i hear you roar. >> right. >> coming up next, after great fanfare it was sweetie and sunshine's big moment. >> that's right. >> stay with us.

♪ wild thing ♪ you make my heart sing ♪ sing >> all right, you may remember last week we told you about the new giant pandas at the zoo in scotland. they were supposed to debut to the media yesterday. >> that's right. unfortunately only half of them felt like showing off for the cameras. little bit of shyness there. >> reporter: he's one half of what is hoped will become a famous panda pairing. sunshine eating and occasionally walking around his new northerly home. he and sweetie, a little more

camera shy, apparently taking a nap, are set to become box office bears. >> settling in fantastically well. and literally, went straight for the bamboo, that was him. and the female is shyer, quieter, but has settled in very nicely. >> reporter: the pandas can see each other through a small opening between the two separate enclosures. they have been calling out. and we're told touching paws. they're solitary creatures and will come into contact to mate. the elusive panda will be in season a couple days a year. what pandas really like is sleeping and eat. for the pandas it meant bamboo and lots of it. those lucky to get a sneak preview were impressed. >> it's lot smaller than i expected. it's nice to see them up and about. >> we skipped school today to come and see the pandas. >> big and cuddly looking. you kind of know underneath all that, he could rip you apart.

>> reporter: but the rare giant pandas every need is being pandered to to keep them happy. all visitors will see them from friday, and hoping all goes well and panda cubs will follow next year. >> i think it is fascinating they eat 66 pounds of bamboo per day. >> whoa. >> each one of them. >> that's a heavy diet. >> look how much feeding i am going to have to do. >> really tough on your body. >> unbelievable. unbelievable. the zoo is paying $1 million a year. >> wow! for the food and the right to have them. >> yeah. 66 pounds of bamboo. >> a lot of dough. the hope here is they will procreate and, you know. >> make baby pandas. >> do their natural thing and make baby pandas there. >> little baby pandas. that's the fun part. that's the news for this half-hour. don't miss our updates at facebook, wnnfans.com. >> catch our tweets on twitter. stay in touch online and on the air. >> catch our tweets on twitter. stay in touch online and on the air.

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